Turner was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi on November 5, 1931, to Beatrice Cushenberry, a seamstress, and Izear Luster Turner, a Baptist minister. Ike got his first taste the music business at the age of eight, helping the DJ at a local Clarksdale radio station, WROX.
Turner was soon carrying amplifiers for blues singer Robert Nighthawk, who often played live on WROX. Growing up, Turner's idol Pinetop Perkins helped teach the young Ike to play boogie-woogie on the piano. Ike soon was enamored of other blues artists such as Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller), Charley Booker, Elmore James, Muddy Waters and Little Walter.
Ike Turner's actual music career began in earnest in the late-1940s where he formed a group he christened Ike Turner & The Kings of Rhythm. In 1951, the band recorded what some historians have called "the first rock and roll record" with "Rocket 88", credited to Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats (this band did not actually exist). Brenston was both the band's saxophonist and the lead vocalist of the song, and on the original Chess release was listed as the song's writer. "Rocket 88" was produced at Sun Studio in Memphis by Sam Phillips. The record was one of the first examples of guitar distortion, which happened by accident when one of the amplifiers was dropped before the recording.
Ike Turner & The Kings of Rhythm settled into local fame in St. Louis where the band locally recorded for a St. Louis label and even appeared on local television shows. Throughout this early period, Turner became a recording scout and A&R man for independent record companies including Sun Records, helping the likes of Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Elmore James and Otis Rush get signed. He also became a sideman playing guitar for these blues acts and more. Musically, Turner was known for his hard-hitting guitar style. He was known to put the whammy bar of his Fender Stratocaster to frequent use.
Turner's music career changed drastically after meeting a teenage singer from Nutbush, Tennessee, named Anna Mae Bullock, who demandingly grabbed a microphone during a singing session at one of St. Louis' nightspots and sang a B.B. King song in her now-trademark throated raspy vocals. Bullock's performance impressed Ike so much he allowed Anna to join his band as a background singer. However within a year, Ike's plans for Bullock changed after Anna recorded what he originally stated was a demo for a song that was to be sung by a male vocalist. After hearing her vocals, he let it be released under an independent label and in the process changed the name of the singer from Anna Mae Bullock to Tina Turner - naming her after Sheena - and the name of the band to the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. It is believed that this singular act is what propelled Tina Turner into the spotlight. "A Fool in Love" became a national hit in early 1960, reaching the top three in the R&B charts and becoming a top thirty pop hit in the process. From then until 1976, Ike & Tina Turner became one of the most explosive duos in rock & soul music.
After Tina abruptly left Ike after a violent altercation in 1976, Ike lost ground in the national music market. As a solo artist, he struggled to find success after Tina and after releasing two failed solo albums, had found himself facing drug and weapons charges, of which he was convicted in 1989.
When Ike was released from prison in 1993, he was met at the prison gate by Jeanette Bazzell who later became his wife. Jeanette was instrumental in helping Ike rebuild his career. She replaced Tina as Ike's lead singer and eventually they toured the world playing many blues festivals. After the intense negative publicity generated against him as a wife abuser by Tina's movie, "What's Love Got to Do with It", Ike's acceptance in the USA as a legendary blues artist and composer was limited, though better in other countries. During this time he recorded two solo albums in his own studio, and he wrote his autobiography called Taking Back My Name. He also re-recorded "I'm Blue" in a duet style with Billy Rogers. The remake received strong reviews from Billboard Magazine.
Ike was back on the road and back into recording music, which continued until his death. In 2001, Ike released the Grammy-nominated Here & Now album. In 2005, he appeared on the Gorillaz' album, Demon Days, playing piano on the track, "Every Planet We Reach Is Dead". In 2007, Ike won his first solo Grammy in the Best Traditional Blues Album category for the album, Risin' With the Blues. Shortly before his death, a collaboration between Turner and The Black Keys was planned, but the project would never be completed, .
Turner died on December 12, 2007 at 76 years of age at his home in San Marcos, California, near San Diego. Little Richard was asked by the family to speak at the funeral. The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office reported that Turner died from a cocaine overdose complicated by "[...] other significant conditions, such as hypertensive cardiovascular disease and pulmonary emphysema."
River Deep Mountain High
Ike Turner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Only doll I've ever owned
Now I love you just the way I loved that rag doll
But only now my love has grown
And it gets stronger in every way
And it gets deeper, let me say
And it gets higher day by day
Do I love you, my oh my? Oh baby
River deep, mountain high
If I lost you would I cry
Oh, how I love you, baby, baby, baby, baby
When you were a young boy
Did you have a puppy?
That always followed you around
Well, I'm gonna be as faithful as that puppy
No, I'll never let you down
'Cause it grows stronger like a river flows
And it gets sweeter, baby and Heaven knows
And it gets sweeter, baby, as it grows
Do I love you, my oh my? Oh baby
River deep, mountain high
If I lost you would I cry
Oh, how I love you, baby, baby, baby, baby
And it gets stronger in every way
And it gets deeper, let me say
And it gets higher day by day
Do I love you, my oh my? Oh baby
River deep, mountain high
If I lost you would I cry
Oh, how I love you, baby, baby, baby, baby
I love you, baby, just like Robin loves to sing
I love you, baby, like a flower loves the spring
And I love you, baby, like a school boy loves his pet
The song "River Deep Mountain High" by Ike Turner featuring Tina Turner is a soulful ballad about an ever-growing love. The song starts with Tina reminiscing her childhood memories of her only doll and how she loves her partner just as deep. The lyrics in the chorus, "River deep, mountain high," is a metaphor that describes the depth of her love for him. Tina expresses how her love for him keeps growing day by day and she compares her love to a river that flows with time, getting stronger, deeper, and higher.
Moreover, the subsequent use of the puppy analogy as it grows stronger like a river flows, and it gets sweeter as time goes by, shows how deep and unyielding their love is. The song's final line, where Tina compares her love to Robin's love for singing or the flower's love for the spring, or the schoolboy's love for his pet, shows how love transcends everything. With each line, the song highlights the unwavering strength of the love shared between two individuals.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was a little girl, I had a rag doll
Like how a child cherishes her first toy, I too had a rag doll which was the only doll I ever owned.
Only doll I've ever owned
That rag doll is the only toy that was ever mine.
Now I love you just the way I loved that rag doll
Just like how I loved my rag doll then, I love you now with that same intensity and innocence.
But only now my love has grown
However, unlike my love for the doll that remained constant, my love for you has only increased over time.
And it gets stronger in every way
My love for you only becomes stronger with each passing day, more than I ever thought possible.
And it gets deeper, let me say
My love for you is not just a superficial emotion, but rather one that delves deeper into my soul with time.
And it gets higher day by day
My love for you continues to rise higher with each passing day, reaching new heights.
Do I love you, my oh my? Oh baby
I ask this question to emphasize the extent of my love for you, my darling.
River deep, mountain high
My love for you is deep like a river and high like a mountain.
If I lost you would I cry
The thought of losing you is unbearable and would inevitably make me cry.
Oh, how I love you, baby, baby, baby, baby
This is my way of expressing my undying love and affection for you, multiple times over.
When you were a young boy
I am trying to establish a connection by inquiring about your childhood experiences.
Did you have a puppy?
I'm attempting to show you that even as a young boy, you must have had something that meant the world to you.
That always followed you around
Just like how a young child was followed by a loyal pet, my love for you will also be unwavering.
Well, I'm gonna be as faithful as that puppy
My love and devotion towards you will be just as pure and unwavering as that of a faithful pet towards its master.
No, I'll never let you down
I vow to never disappoint you in any way and forever be true to you.
'Cause it grows stronger like a river flows
My love for you is constantly evolving, growing stronger with each passing moment just like how a river flows.
And it gets sweeter, baby and Heaven knows
As my love for you grows, it becomes even more sweet and precious, that only the heavens can comprehend.
And it gets sweeter, baby, as it grows
As my love for you matures, it only becomes sweeter and more tender.
I love you, baby, just like Robin loves to sing
I use this simile to demonstrate my love for you, which is intense and analogous to the passion Robin has for singing.
I love you, baby, like a flower loves the spring
The love I have for you is akin to how a flower loves spring, which is inextricably and irreversibly linked.
And I love you, baby, like a school boy loves his pet
Just like a schoolboy loves his pet, my love for you is intimate, pure, and loyal.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Phil Spector
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@janiceprosser2903
Was 14 in 1966.
When this beautiful song was played i always had the shivers.
Just watched Tina sing it again ,still had shivers.
What a beautiful voice.
So glad she found happiness at last.
God bless you for all the enjoyment you gave to the people ❤❤xxx
@johnkerr6006
In my opinion it is the best song that was ever performed in the history of rock'n'roll. And I am 75 next birthday.
@bornwin-sx9oz
I agree!
@TheKingofRome1
for what its worth im a 24 year old who completely agrees
@altclut
It’s difficult to better
@littlestarkeeper
I have to agree.
@haitidevan5695
True so authentic and im 35
@janiceprosser2903
Was 14 in 1966.
When this beautiful song was played i always had the shivers.
Just watched Tina sing it again ,still had shivers.
What a beautiful voice.
So glad she found happiness at last.
God bless you for all the enjoyment you gave to the people ❤❤xxx
@lillianmunster4734
I Agree 💯 💖 Amen 🌹
@DiegoMartinezDP
There will never be another song like this. There will never be another singer like Tina. Never ❤
@rabbitsandcarrots
To me, this is Tina Turner. What a song to match the raw, powerful and fierce nature of her life. RIP